Ismailia (Egypt), March 6 (IANS) Pakistan and England booked their tickets to the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 by winning their respective semi-finals at the qualifying tournament in Ismailia, Egypt, on Friday. England made sure of their spot with an emphatic 7-1 win over Malaysia, while Pakistan pulled off a last-gasp 4-3 victory over Japan. The winners will meet in the final on Saturday.
Malaysia and Japan still have a chance to qualify for the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 by winning the bronze medal playoff, also on Saturday. The highest-ranked fourth-place team across all the qualifying tournaments will also secure a World Cup place.
Meanwhile, in the other match of the day in Ismailia, Egypt claimed a comprehensive 4-0 win over Austria and will take on China in the playoff for fifth place.
England Beat Malaysia in Semis
England enjoyed a significant advantage in possession and territory throughout the match, but a highly organised and energetic Malaysian defence kept the scoreline tight in the first half. England’s Jacob Payton bunted an early shot wide from close range, and Will Calnan pulled a tomahawk shot slightly left of goal before Sam Ward fired them ahead with a 19th-minute drag flick. Malaysian goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman made two important saves to keep the score at 1-0 in England’s favour at half-time.
England kept applying pressure in the third quarter, and the goals started to come. Sam Hooper landed a heavy drag flick in the 36th minute, and Tom Sorsby rifled a reverse strike into the roof of the net in the 41st. Stuart Rushmere did brilliantly to stop his leading run on a dime, collecting a pass behind him on the reverse stick and steering it in for a 4-0 lead.
Malaysia pulled one back in the 50th minute, Faizal Saari sprinting 50 metres to receive a pass and fire across goal where Shafiq Hassan outpaced the scrambling English defence for an excellent deflection. England finished strongly, with Zach Wallace adding a delicate short corner deflection in the 54th minute, and both Rushmere and Hooper completing their braces in the 59th and 60th.
Late Goals Help Pakistan Qualify
Former champions Pakistan grabbed three late goals in a thrilling 4-3 win over Japan to secure their spot at the FIH Hockey World Cup.
The Japanese had an early chance to go ahead when Tsubasa Tanaka found himself one-on-one against the keeper, but he flipped it over the crossbar. Muhammad Ammad opened the scoring for Pakistan in the 9th minute, pouncing on the rebound after his first shot was saved by Takumi Kitagawa and deflected back to him off the post.
Japan were denied a couple of penalty corners, including a sensational Arshad Liaqat save on the post. They did level the scores in the 21st minute, though, Ryoma Ooka finishing with a good deflection from open play to take the teams to the break locked at 1-1.
Shota Yamada edged Japan ahead with his 35th-minute drag flick, and they doubled their lead in the 41st. A clever overhead behind the Pakistani defence drew their goalkeeper out of his circle, but he couldn’t clear to safety, and Koji received the ball unmarked for a slap-in at the left post. The momentum seemed to be with Japan, but Pakistan dug deep and surged forward when the Japanese received a yellow card with 10 minutes remaining.
Abu Mahmood reduced the deficit to one goal with his 52nd-minute drag flick down the centre, and they drew level in the 55th when Sufyan Khan bulleted a drag flick between the goalkeeper and the post-man. There was plenty of drama at the finish. Afraz gave Pakistan the lead in the 57th minute with a sensational deflection from open play. Japan earned a penalty stroke immediately after, but Ali Raza read it well and saved it with his fully outstretched right foot to secure the win.
--IANS
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